With all the rush to get things done during the holidays it’s always nice to slow down and enjoy life a little. And simple really is better, especially in the case of these compound butters.
A post about compound butters isn’t exactly exciting or riveting, but perhaps this time of year we all need to be reminded to slow down and enjoy ourselves a little. Sit down and enjoy your homemade meal.
Our boys have started asking for stories near the end of a meal (this all started after having dinner with my parents a while back). They like to hear stories about when Mom and Dad were growing up or stories about when they were babies. Anything goes.
If there isn’t time to sit at the table for a longer time to include stories there is always time to go over their rose and thorn for the day. Their rose is what they liked about the day and the thorn is what they didn’t like. We’re lucky, they frequently say they don’t have a thorn for the day.
Sometimes the rose is the meal they are eating. Whenever I make cinnamon honey butter I can count on the boys being very excited about their meal.
Compound butters are so incredibly easy to make and yet greatly elevate the flavors of so many different things. Step up your baked potato game. Turn a store bought yeast roll into something delicious. Hello sweet buttered waffles.
Cinnamon honey butter is by and far the most popular in our house. The boys beg for it on toast in the morning. It’s the perfect way to have cinnamon toast without too much sugar. They also love it on waffles and biscuits.
Then there is jam butter. Again, the boys love it. Also great on toast, biscuits, waffles, pancakes and scones. Depending on the flavor of jam used it can also go with with pork, chicken or other savory dishes. Right now we’re enjoying this blueberry jam butter, the cinnamon and nutmeg in the jam are great on hot spelt waffles.
Cilantro cayenne butter is great on a biscuit. With a bowl of hot soup. With country ham. Nothing like a little kick to get your taste buds going. It would also be good slathered on cornbread and served with chili. Put a dollop in a skillet and sautee some fish, chicken or veggies.
All this flavor and versatility in such a simple recipe. Soften butter, add in flavorings, stir well and serve. It also allows for fun presentation. Put the compound butter in silicone mini ice cube/candy trays, chill and pop out. Wouldn’t a gingerbread pat of butter on your plate put a smile on your face right about now?!
You can also use a small cookie scoop for the butter. Place the scoops on parchment paper, freeze. Then put in an airtight container in the fridge if using soon or in the freezer. Just grab a scoop as needed. Right now we “need” a lot of the jam butter and cinnamon honey butter so it doesn’t even make it to the freezer!
Compound Butter – Three Ways
1 stick butter, unsalted and at room temp
3 Tbs. honey
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 stick butter, unsalted and at room temp
3 Tbs. jam
1 stick butter, unsalted and at room temp
1 Tbs. chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp. cayenne (more or less to taste)
1/2 tsp. salt
This is the easy part, mix together the butter and whichever mixins you want! Store in a jar, scoop and freeze, make shapes. Whatever tickles your fancy. Boom, your done.
The possibilities are endless. Put in whatever leftover herbs you have. Garlic, parsley and salt is great for garlic bread. Honey and orange zest. Garlic and lemon zest….
Feeding My 3 Sons 
Sometimes reminders of simple delicious and quick ways to pep up a meal come at just the right time. The black hole in my brain had swallowed compound butters, now the idea is rightfully where it belongs. Love your concept of rose and thorn reflections of the day, a great way to keep life in perspective. Thanks Gretchen
The rose and thorn idea came from Kindergarten teachers. It was part of their “homework” every night to go over their rose and thorn for the day, a tradition that has stuck over the years. I too had forgotten about compound butters for a while but am glad I got back into the swing of things. Such a simple thing to make and yet can greatly change the flavor. I’m trying to slow down this holiday season and enjoy the time we have, so far it’s working!
Love it Gretchen and I have my eye on your gorgeous ‘spread love’ spoon too!
Oh yes, loving our new spreaders. I have two others as well, made by a local artist.
Love the butters, and the knife, but mostly, I love the ‘rose and thorn’ of the day 🙂
It’s always fun to hear what the boys’ roses and thorns are for the day. The compound butters are even more fun with a cute spreader!
I absolutely love and cherish listening to Ben talk about his day 🙂
Hadn’t heard the term compound butter before or i’d forgotten it. We do this frequently for spiced butter but I hadn’t considered set versions. Nice!
Really the possibilities for compound butters are endless, whatever you have on hand and feel like mixing in.
Love these, Gretchen, and their many uses. Your cinnamon honey butter brought to mind memories of begging Mom for “cinnamon toast”, although ours was made with sugar. It was a special morning when that was served and I know your boys love it. For a while, I was making a few compound butters, all of which on the savory side. I rolled them into mini-logs, wrapped them in plastic wrap, and frozen. They sure were handy and I bet there may even be 1 or 2 hidden deep in the back of that freezer somewhere. Great idea about using a scoop to apportion the butters. They’d be much more accessible than my method — especially if I keep them in the front of the freezer. 🙂
We got cinnamon toast with the sugar with hot tea if we weren’t feeling well. Brings back memories! We also had it Christmas morning while we opened presents to hold us over until brunch. The spicy butter is great on biscuits. Clearly the boys like the sweeter ones best though.
You are so clever Gretchen. I do hope you and your wonderful family are all enjoying this Christmas day.
Thank you Karen. We had a lovely Christmas. Wishing you and yours a Happy New Year!
All the best in the New Year as well.
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I would go for cilantro and cayenne butter. I love savoury!
That one is great on warm bread or a biscuit!